oslund



Jan. 27, 1931. c. H. OSLUND WIPING DEVICE FOR LABELS Filed Dec. 5. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1' Jan. 27, 1931.

c. H. OSLUND 1,790,594

WIPING DEVICE FOR LABELS Filed Dec. 5, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g zi z Jan. 27, 1931. H, OSLUN 1,790,594

WIPING DEVICE FOR LABELS Filed Dec. 5. 1929 :5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNTE S ES

PATENT OFFICE SSACH'USETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LIQUID LINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE WIPING DEVICE FOR LABELS Application filed December 5, 1929. Serial No. 411,889.

This invention relates to the smoothing down of comparatively inflexible labels which are used on many articles including baking powder cans, ketchup bottles and the The principal objects of the invention are to provide a practical and simple means to secure the sticking of the labels which are covered with glue or are made of thick materials so that they are not very flexible and have a tendency to stick up from the article at the edge after they have been wiped down in the ordinary way by brushes, rollers and the like; to provide means whereby, when the wiping operation is performed, the wiper will be drawn back automatically so that the fu-rther passage of the article along in the machine will not result in the passage of the wiping device backwardly over the label, thus avoiding any tendency on the part of the machine to undo the work of the wiper; to provide a construction for this purpose suitable for a labeler in which the articles travel along a path; to provide means for causing the wiper to move with the article as it passes along and for allowing a certain flexibility of action to permit it to move around the article through an arc to securely wipe down the label and to provide it in a. duplicate form to enable the machine to wipe down both the leading and the following edges of the label.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan of a part of a rotary labeling machine with a preferred embodiment of this invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of an upright shaft of this machine showing the means thereon for actuating the labeling device;

Fig. 3 is a plan of one of the elen'ients of this machine showing the means by which a plurality of wipers are associated together for performing the desired work;

Fig. 4 is a plan of one of the individual Wipers on enlarged scale, showing the fiexibility of motion;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the rotary table showing (:liagrammatically two positions of the article to be labeled and the two wipers performing their operations, the upper one just ready to be applied to the leading edge of the label Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the comletion of the wiping of the leading edge of the label and the complete Withdrawal of the wiper after the following edge has been pressed down;

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the position as the leading edge of the label has been fully wiped down and the labeling device is being withdrawn from it;

8 is a plan showing another form of this invention applied to an endless belt or chain carrier labelling machine moving in a straight line;

9 is a view of one of these labeling devicos showing the final pressing down of the leading edge of the label and beginning of the act of pressing down the other edge of the label, and

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the latter wiping device as having completed the pressing down of the following end of the label.

The invention is shown in the first seven figures as being applied to a labelling machine of the type shown in a previous patent granted to myself and John E. Johnson, August 17. 1926, Patent No. 1,596,372.

In these figures I have shown the invention as applied to an ordinary rotary table labelling machine comprising a table or carrier 10 which rotates continuously with a vertical shaft 11. This table has stations at which the cans B, bottles or other articles to be labelled are clamped down by clamps. I have shown a label grip 15 which grips the label centrally on the front of the can and holds it while the can is passing around a part of the circumference. These parts are all old and the invention is not necessarily limited to this type of machine but is partirularly adapted thereto.

On the shaft 11. which is driven in any desired way, I provide a gear which through gearing and shaft. shown in said patent. drii'es a vertical shaft 21 which extends up above the table and is located beyond the circumference. This shaft by bevel {rears drives a horizontal shaft 22 and a vertical shaft 23 over the table. On each of the shafts 21 and 23 is fixed a collar 25 having an arm 26 projecting: out from it. Below the collar a loose hub 27 provided with an arm 28 ecured to the hub by a screw 29 or the like. A light spring 31 extends from the arm 26 to the arm 28. It will be seen that the collar 25 will rotate with the shaft 23 and that through the spring the rotation of the shaft 23 will carry along the hub 27 behind it. The hub is yieldin ly connected with the shaft so that if it meets an obstruction it will be retarded.

From this hub extend radial arms 34 shown here as three in number. These are mounted so that they can be adjusted radially. On each arm there is a vertical stud 36 having! a pivoted wiper or scoop 37 on it which is yieldingly held in place by a spring 35. In the present instance these wipers are concave in shape and lined with soft material as felt or rubber. They are mounted to freely swing on the studs 36. beinpj held back by the springs so as to be all in the same horizontal plane.

On the shaft 23 is fixed by a screw 40 a collar 41 having an arm 42 carrying a vertical shaft 43. On the shaft 43 is an arm 44 carrying a vertical cam roller 45. On the hearing of the shaft 23 is a cam 46. mainly circubut having as many projections s there are arms 34. On the shaft 43 is a sleeve 47 fixed to it and carrying an arm 48 which has an adjustable screw 49.

The screw 49 is adapted to engage one arm 34 at times and push it and. of course, all three arms back when the roll 45 pushed out by the cam 46. 7

On the other shaft 21 there are the same devices and the wipers preferably are located in a similar manner about this shaft and spaced equally apart. Three of them are shown. although the number is dependent upon the speed of the table and the spacing of the bottles thereon, among other things.

.Vith the parts arranged in the manner shown in these drawings, each of the shafts 21 and 23 makes a third of a turn while the table turns far enough for the can or bottles to move from any position to the next one. The shafts 21 and 23 rotate in the direction of the outer arrows in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 and .lilfill to en 'a e a wi ier El? on the shaft 21. as

2-; to l shown in that figure. .it the same time an (Fill i ."H l2, fl p port prefcrahly one, which has been through the process, just receiving its ast pressure from the next wiper on the shaft By the time the table has rotated from the posit ion shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6, the wiper has been left behind by the can B. and has come out of contact with. it. At the same time the rota-- tion of the shaft 21 causes the wiper to be held to the can ll A, else pressed against the labs-l L at the center of the front thereof by the gripper 15. On account of the yielding action and the particular directions of the paths of the table and wipers, the result of this is that this wiper presses against the label with a yielding pressure throughout a wide area and all the way a ong); this path. By the time the table gets to the position shown in 6. this wiper is pressing against the rear end of the label with considerable pressure owing to the fact that the wiper has the same radius as the can and is held in that position thereby, the spring yielding for that purpose.

lint as the table moves along from this position the position shown in Fig. 7, the can moving: faster than the driven speed of the wiper. the tension on the spring is released and the spring tends to cause the wiper to keep up with the can and apply pressure to c f nsiderably. As the can B moves from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fin. 7 the tendency of the spring 35 would he to force the rear edge of the wiper against the label. As the table and shaft turn with adjacent sides moving in the same direction, this would tend to wipe the label backwardt and perhaps detach it at its end. In order to bring the wiper out away from the label, the cam 46 at this time acts on the roller 45 and turns the shaft 43 so as to move the screw against one of the arms 34. This results in swinging the structure comprising the three arms 34 and the hub 27 on the shaft 21 l'iackwardly. This moves the wiper out away from the can and label entirely. This avoids any possibility of the wiper again engaging the label and pushing it back atits end after it is wiped down.

It will be noticed that the wiper, instead of wing a single point contact with the label in the prior patent above mentioned, has contact at all times over a wine area of it and holds the label positively in the curved position in which it to remain on the can. Furthermore by the rolling of a roller over the paper on the can there is a tendency to form a wave in the label ahead, of the roll and this of course is entirely obviated by the present construction. On the inside, so to speak, the wiper, which previously has not been mentioned, now comes around in the direction of the arrow and on account of the converging curved paths of this wiper and the can, it engages the label and acts on 't t same way on the following end of the i The principles of this invention can l 23 rried out in other forms and in Fig S, J, and 10 is shown the application of this invent to a labeling machine involving a travcli..;: conveyor J0 of the endless apron type. Here the cans B pass along with this conveyer n a straight line and the operation is prev cally the same as has been described a. The label L is held in position by the lane! grip 15 as before and a wiper 37 on one side is mounted on an arm 51 pivoted to an arm 52 on a shaft 53. This arm 52 has another arm which makes a lever of it and is held yieldingly in position toward the conveyor by a spring 54 up against a stop There is also a stop pin 56 for the arm 51 and a spring 57 for moving that arm back the stop whenever it is possible.

Starting in the position shown in l the wiper or scoop 37 is shown just lid-i512, come into contact with the label by reason of the forward motion of the can on the conveyer. Now as it moves from that position to the position shown in Fi 9, the wiper moves round the can circumferentialiy, as in the other case, until it comes to the end of the label, the spring 57 yielding to allow that to occur. As the can passes on, i this ca the can moves away from the wiper and there is no tendency for the wiper to move heel:- wardly toward the can, the spring 57 moving it in a rearward direction with respect to the motion of the can. The other w per 3? on the other side is shown in inactive position in Fig. 8 and just coming into contact with the label in Fig. 9 and finally in Fig. 10 in the same relative position the other wiper which is shown in Fig. 9, that is, the can just about to leave the wiper.

It will be seen that in this case the func-- tions are practically the same as in the other, although the mechanism is different, to provide for the straight line motion of the conveyer.

This is an important improvement because it has not been practicable heretofore to label certain articles, for example, baking pewder cans by machine. As far as I know they are all labeled by hand at the present time. The labels are extra heavy and are soaked in paste, so that they are wet on both sides and machines cannot handle them. I now apply these heavy labels by this machine, in a dry state on the front side, as easily as thin flexible labels are applied by the best machines heretofore on the marl-:et.

Although I have illustrated and describ d only two forms of the invent on I am awe of the fact that other modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention expressed in the claims.

Therefore, I do not wish to be limited in this respect but what I do claim is 1. In a labeling machine, the combination with movable means for supporting the articlcr-i to be labi of a concave label wiping drwire, means for applying said label wiping device to the -'-'face of the label on the art!- clc. and means ior moving said label wiping device forwardly with the article to be labeled throughout a part of the travel of said article to hold the edge of the label. in contact with a article througl'iout a wide area for a sul stantial period of time.

2. I a labeling machine, the combination with a movable support for the articles to be labeled, of a curved label wiping device havi a substantial area adapted to engage the article and moving it with the article but at a different rate so that the wiping device will contact with a wide area of the label and vet move along the label until it reaches the edge thereof.

3. In a labeling machine, the combination with movable means for supporting the artito be labeled, of a concave label Wiping device, means for applying said label wiping device to the surface of. the label on the article to hold the label down throughout a wide area, and a movable support on which said wiping device is pivotally mounted, whereby the wiping device can be held in contact with the label for a period of time and yet will be free to change its angular position relative to the article as the article moves along to keep the wiper in contact with the label until it reaches its edge.

4. The combination with a label wiper comprising a concave member having a soft interior lining, the inner surface of which fits the surface of the article to be labelled, of means for moving said wiper circum ferentially and slidingly along the surface of the article to be labelled while the entire concave surface in c ntact with the article.

5. In a labeling machine, the combination with a movable support for the articles to be labeled, of a curved label wiper having a concave surface fitting the article to be labeled, a movable arm on which the wiper is mounted pivotall and yielding means for holding the wiper in a certain position, whereby when the wiper engages the article it will be free to yield so as to move around the article through the arc of a circle on the circumference of the article.

6. In a labeling machine, the combination with a rotary table for the articles to be labeled. of a concave label wiper fitting the articlcs to be labeled, a rotary arm, said wiper being pivotally mounted on said arm, and a spring connecting the wiper with said arm on the side toward which the articles are adapted to approach the wiper, whereby when the article and wiper come into contact the spring will yield to allow the wiper to swing against the article and move circun'iferentiallv along its surface.

7. In a labeling machine. the combination of a rotar shaft. arms projecting from said shaft, a label Wiper pivotall mounted on each arm. and means for swing ig the arm hackwardly when the wiping operation has been completed to prevent the wiper from moving forwardly further and undoing the wiping operation.

8. In a labeling machine. the combination with means for moving the articles to be labeled, of a rotary shaft, arms projecting from said shaft. a label wiper pivotally mounted on each arm, yielding means for moving the wiper in a certain direction for engagement with an article to be labeled, the arm and the article to be labeled moving forward in the same general direction. whereby the wiper will move circumferentiallv along the surface of the article and means for swinging the arm bacltwardlv when the wiping operation has been completed to prevent the wiper from moving forwardly further and undoing the wiping-operation.

9. In a labeling machine, the combination with a movable support for the articles to be labeled. of a curved label wiper having a substantial area adapted to engage the label. and of the same curvature the article to be labeled. means for moving the wiping device in a curved path. said wiper being pivotallv and vieldinglv mounted. a stationary cam, and means cooperating with the means for moving the wiper adapted to engage said cam and swing the wiper back at the end of the wiping operation to re move it out of contact with the article to be labeled.

10. In a labeling machine. the combination of a movable support for the articles to be labeled. a rotary shaft. an arm movr. le with the shaft, a wiper pivoted on said arm. a. stationary cam, a cam roll pivoted on said shaft for engaging the cam and means movable with said cam roll for moving the arm hackwardlv at the end of the wiping operation to remove the wiper bodily from the article to be labeled.

11. In a labeling machine. the con'ihination with an endless apron carrier for the articles to be labeled. of lever i'iivoted at the side thereof. an arm pivoted on said lever, a concave wiper carried by said arm and yieldingly connected with the lever, said wiper being located in the path of the article to be labeled, whereby as the article comes along the wiper will engage it and move it CHARLES H. OSLUND. 

